In collaboration with Local Orchestra
Archiconnect Episode 49, 2026 – Bangladesh
English Translation:
Project Sonapahar: Artificial Miyawaki Forest and Leisure Among Nature
I am Rizvi Hassan, an architect, a design professional, and a Bangladeshi citizen. We are sitting right now at Project Sonapahar, located in Mirsarai Upazila. It is located in a very interesting place.
The reason is that whenever we travelled from Dhaka to Chittagong, we would always see beautiful paddy fields on our left, with a beautiful range of hills visible right behind them. This beautiful landscape blended with the road and changed over time, sometimes within a short period. So, when we first came to such a place and saw the condition of the landscape, our project started from there.
Project Sonapahar is part of our continuous workflow and journey, and it came to us as an opportunity. From 2018 to 2021–22, we worked for a long time in various emergency contexts, where we had great opportunities to explore different natural materials, low-cost resources, and budget-friendly solutions.
As a continuation of that line of work, Amzad Hossain, the founder of Project Sonapahar, and Nasrat Ali Khan approached us. When we first came, we saw that the site had previously been used for several chicken farms or poultry sheds. Because many industries had been established around it, for the first few days we could not sit outside properly, and it was not a pleasant environment. We felt that we had come to build a house or some sort of living space.
But the landscape was not properly welcoming to people. Where should our starting point actually be? At that time, we felt that it was essential first to organize the ground and the environment. Of course, there would then be living places, houses, and beautiful spaces, and we would carefully design the interaction zones. However, the ground needed to be prepared first, including creating a hub for biodiversity: a small refuge where animals could live and help maintain a balance among insects and other species.
That is when the idea came to our minds: let’s create a forest. We wanted to create a small, undisturbed area of forest where animals could live peacefully, helping to bring the area’s biodiversity into balance. We wanted to prepare the soil and select the plants in such a way that, in a very short time, an environment and ecosystem could be created here.
So, from the very beginning, we started thinking about the project from various perspectives. The designs considered where things would be located, where the dining facilities would be, and where the lodging accommodations would be. The concepts and designs changed many times, and the orientation of the spaces evolved as well.
I think that, as soon as people enter the complex, they are introduced to the materials and the concept of the space. We worked with various materials, with artisans coming from different regions to make small bamboo strips and craft the roof. These bamboo strips were also used to make the ceiling. We built the structure using materials that we sourced and salvaged from ships.
Right upon entering, there is a gathering space where many people can come together, with dining facilities arranged there. The cooking facilities are also located there, so conversations among all kinds of people can begin in one place. After that, as we move toward the interior living area, we thought about how to make it more private and almost blend into nature so that it would not be visible.
From that thought, as you move further inside, we built the living spaces right alongside the Miyawaki forest. The interesting thing is that we created the forest at the back, and as it grew, the lush foliage made it feel as though it had almost swallowed up the house. When we are inside, greenery, trees, and vegetation can be seen all around. Even the new birds that are arriving can live in peace and quiet. This can be observed from inside the house.
We also tried to see how we could reuse the previous footprint, the materials that had already been used, and the soil that had been excavated within the new space. For instance, the large community hall that now exists was previously a poultry shed. By converting it, a large stage has now been set up there. Perhaps around a hundred people can sit there.
Moving on to the landscape, we tried to keep the shape of the pond just as it was before, focusing simply on enhancing it by beautifying, paving, and reinforcing its banks. We considered how the walking path around it could be designed and how the seating areas could be arranged.
You will also notice that, when we first developed the concepts and details here, we considered how the windows and the small ventilators would look. Efforts were made to incorporate those elements, including small wooden louvers and various openings.
In our overall design and master plan, the entire space developed around the ponds. Around the ponds, the pathways for human movement, living spaces, the Miyawaki forest, and the layers of trees were all developed. In Bangladesh, whether in our culture or our way of life, life centered around ponds, water, and rivers forms a major part of our identity and a core part of our heritage. We acknowledged this when developing the concept for our living spaces and way of life.
I believe it is possible to create a healthier environment and a beautifully complex landscape.
Project Information
Project Name: Prokolpo Sonapahar
Location: Mirsharai, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Clients: Amzad Hossain, Nasrat Ali Khan
Principal Architect: Rizvi Hassan
Team Members: Jakiat Jitu, Fahmid Mahib, Andrew Mitchell, Shamim Sheikh, Fazlul Haque, Delwar Jahan, Shaon Siraj
Architectural Firm: Local Orchestra
Project Engineer: Local Orchestra and Architect’s Team
Site Engineer: Local Orchestra and Architect’s Team
Construction Cost: Approximately 300 lakh BDT
Project Timeline: 2022-2025
Project Type: Eco-resort / Nature Retreat with Artificial Miyawaki Forest Development